Frits Jetten's Big Screen Adventure
Frits Jetten's Big Screen Adventure
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Love Liza was first shown at the Sundance Film Festival, in Park City, Utah, in five screenings during the week of January 13, 2002. The film - one of 173 films being shown - was entered in the Dramatic Competition. Here are the latest press releases and other recent developments. On a personal note, I received an e-mail message from Philip Seymour Hoffman's sister Emily. She and I have had occasional contact since she read my online journal back in March, 2001. In response to my e-mail to her asking how the movie was, here is her firsthand account of the Love Liza showing she attended at the Sundance Film Festival on January 13: Frits, Sundance Film Festival Announces 2002 Winners (Dramatic Competition) For Immediate Release: January 19, 2002 The Sundance Film Festival is proud to announce the winners of the Independent Feature Film Competition at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah (January 10 - 20). The Dramatic Jury presents the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award to outstanding achievement in writing. The 2002 prize was given to Gordy Hoffman for LOVE LIZA. The award is sponsored by the Utah Film Commission. For Information, contact RJ Millard at 435.645.8688/801.328.3456 A tale of two Hoffmans' Sundance Film Festival debut of `Love Liza' a success for brothers January 18, 2002 By Mark Caro Chicago Tribune PARK CITY, Utah -- The romance of the Sundance Film Festival is simple: It's the place where long-harbored dreams are first exposed to public view and, if favorably received, are launched into the world. Gordy Hoffman had been driving a cab in Chicago for 3 1/2 years when the sight of a homeless woman hovering around a gas station pump sparked the idea for "Love Liza," a movie about a Web designer whose wife has just committed suicide and who deals with his sorrow by sniffing gasoline. "You have a lot of ideas when you're driving around, and obviously I was in gas stations all week long all the time for 3 1/2 years," Hoffman said. "I wrote it a couple of months after I stopped driving a cab, and a couple of months later I left Chicago." A chain reaction Hoffman showed the script to his younger brother, actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, who, in turn, showed it to his old roommate in Los Angeles, Todd Louiso, who played the quiet, nerdy record-store clerk in "High Fidelity." Four years later "Love Liza," starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and directed by Louiso, was playing at Sundance and being viewed by potential distributors. Like last year's Sundance film "In the Bedroom" -- as well as the soon-to-be-released-in-Chicago "Monster's Ball" and "The Son's Room" -- "Love Liza" deals with grief and catharsis, though in its own way. The mood is bleak yet the visuals sunny, and both the film and actor Hoffman, carrying a movie for the first time, have gained many admirers here. Louiso's hands were shaking as he introduced his film's first screening Sunday, but by the time he and the two Hoffmans sat down for lunch Monday, they seemed not at all preoccupied with the potential negotiations between distributors and the movie's producers. To Louiso, the film's eventual audience wasn't a concern. "It doesn't really cross my mind," Louiso said in his whispery voice. "I guess it's up to the company that purchases it, hopefully. I'm just happy that people saw it here, and if that was the end of it, that was the end of it." That comment provoked laughs from the opposite side of the table. "Of course we all hope it gets bought and distributed," Philip Seymour Hoffman said. "What we're saying is you put so much work into making a film, and just the fact that it finishes -- and then on top of it that you kind of like it -- you don't understand how satisfied you are just with that. So whatever happened after that is kind of gravy in a way." The gravy was served. Sony Pictures Classics bought "Love Liza" later that day. Philip Seymour Hoffman: 'Just another actor' New film, 'Love Liza,' at Sundance January 17, 2002 By Anne Hubbell Special to CNN PARK CITY, Utah (CNN) -- Philip Seymour Hoffman's first trip to the Sundance Film Festival was partly a family matter. The film he stars in, "Love Liza" -- directed by Todd Louiso, who played the shy, nerdy clerk in "High Fidelity" -- was written by Hoffman's brother, Gordy. The film concerns a man struggling to cope with the aftermath of his wife's suicide. But Hoffman is no stranger to movie audiences -- even if his character-actor looks prompt people to think, "Hey, isn't that ...?" without coming up with his name. Among his film credits are 2000's "Almost Famous," as Lester Bangs; 1999's "Magnolia," as male nurse Phil Parma; 1999's "The Talented Mr. Ripley," as Freddie Miles; and 1997's "Boogie Nights," as Scotty. He is also a noted stage actor and director, and co-artistic director of the LAByrinth Theatre Company in downtown Manhattan. CNN caught up with him at Sundance and asked him about "Love Liza," his stage work, and his active career. CNN: Why were you were interested in bringing in your fellow actor, Todd Louiso, to direct? HOFFMAN: I thought Todd would be good to direct. I did "Scent of a Woman" with Todd and we lived together for a couple of years. ... I like working with actors as directors. I've never had a bad experience. CNN: You have directed a few plays. How does directing compare to acting? HOFFMAN: It is a joy. When I'm acting, I'm very self involved -- I have to be. But with directing, you show up to help. As an actor, you're helping people when you act with them, but you are worried about creating your own reality. As a director, you're freed up to aid and help other people. You're using another part of your brain. You get rejuvenated to go back to acting. It's great to go back and forth. I'll probably direct a film someday. But it is an extraordinary difficult thing. It takes up a year of your life. I'm used to doing five or six projects. I'm sure one day I'll come across something and I'll think that's the story I've got to do." CNN: "Love Liza" deals with death and one man's personal reaction to it. Why do you think grief is such a difficult emotion for most Americans? HOFFMAN: What I like about the story is that everyone deals with death differently. ... Somebody dies and nobody knows what to do. People do stupid things. That is what this movie is about. My character is a very nice man, a Gen-X guy on his way to adulthood. After the death of his wife, he can't get back to normal. People are always expected to get back to normal after something like this happens, and he can't. It's about a guy who subconsciously destroys whatever his life was about before this happened in order to create a new one. It's not an uplifting story, but it's an honest, true option. I think there are probably some people who responded to September 11 like this guy does to his wife's death. ... You kept hearing that fast food consumption went up. Lots of people started eating every greasy, fatty thing they could. People were drinking like fiends. In my neighborhood in the West Village, the restaurants were empty, but the bars were packed to the door. CNN: Your character, Wilson, develops a gas huffing problem. How did you prepare for those scenes? HOFFMAN: I had a relationship with other drugs I had done in my past. I had an idea of what it might do, things I had heard about what it does to you. But I never tried it. CNN: Among other accolades, you're regularly called one of the greatest actors of your generation. HOFFMAN: Sometimes I am a bit overwhelmed by the attention. A lot of people say really nice things, and I appreciate it. But what helps me stay grounded, though I know it sounds righteous, is the theater company. I have many days and many hours that my life is just about getting something good up on the stage or looking for a good film to do. I've been blessed to work with some great older actors like Paul Newman and Robert De Niro. [And] each time I go to work with someone who I have revered I get nervous. I think they are going to be a certain way, but really what they are is just another actor, a brilliant actor, but just as worried about doing good work, just as worried about their talent, insecure. That has really taught me a big lesson that no matter what people say about you, remember that you are just another actor and you can suck as much as the next guy. CNN: You have become the thinking film fan's sex symbol. I found one Web site devoted almost entirely to your hairstyles. HOFFMAN: Really? Bring it on! [laughing] Sometimes I get worried that my face will end up on some naked guy's body! It's so crazy. What follows, "Filming Love Liza", is a journal that chronicles all my experiences on the Love Liza movie set and the events that led up to it. Originally asked to only fly a radio controlled airplane for the actor in the movie, I was also asked to be an extra in several scenes! I ended up working with Property Master Scot Broadus and his assistant Tyler Q Rosen 20 out of 25 days of filming! And I had a blast! (Frits Jetten) Today, Tuesday, January 16, 2001, an article appeared in the Mobile Press Register's Metro/Region section about a movie being filmed here in Mobile, Alabama. Little did anyone know that yours truly was asked to "star" in that movie... Well, rather, I was asked to fly a radio controlled airplane in the movie for the real star... I have been on the movie set for two days now! But first let me tell you what led up to all this... Back in October 2000, Production Manager Scott Lumpkin of Lumpkin & Associates in Fairhope, Alabama called me and mentioned that there was going to be a movie filmed in Mobile that had to do with radio control planes, boats and cars. Filming would start in January, he said. In response I sent him a lengthy e-mail with names of area contacts and specific information about local flying clubs in Mobile and Baldwin counties. That was back in October. On December 28th, I sent an e-mail to Scott Lumpkin asking how the plans for the movie were going... Scott replied: "Yes.. things are coming along well. I would love to have you operate the plane for our film.. Is that something you would be interested in doing?.. It will be two days shooting max. Let me know. I'd love to talk with you. Scott" I e-mail a reply to Scott: "Of course I would be interested in flying the plane for you! Let me know more details as soon as possible. What type of plane, where it will be flown, what's involved, etc. Frits" Scott also writes: "Oh, there is a good chance we are buying two planes and we would love for you to fly one of them... Rather than flying your own." A couple of days after that electronic conversation, I get a call from a Scot Broadus of Love Liza Productions. He says he'd like to meet me for breakfast somewhere in the next day or so. We plan for breakfast the next day, January 5, at Dick Russell's Restaurant in Tillman's Corner. As I get to the restaurant, I find Scot Broadus already there, and after shaking hands and seating myself he says: "Is this a coincidence or what, with all these rc planes hanging from the ceiling?" To make a good impression, I tell him I had planned it that way... We order breakfast. He then asks for my bio, so I give him my life's history and rc background. I tell min that I have been flying radio controlled aircraft for about 10 years and that I'm a member of the local Azalea City Model Aeronautics club (ACMA). He then tells me about his film career of 16 years. Scot is 42. He went to stuntman school, and he's now a Property Master, "responsible for everything on the actor's body and what's around him during filming". Scot has many films and TV shows to his credit. The more recent ones are: Beetlejuice, Dracula 2000, Out Of Sight, Double Jeopardy, Lesson Before Dying, Orleans (TV pilot), Beverly Hills 90210, American Leather (filmed partly in Foley, AL). I'm impressed... About this movie... "Is it a documentary?" I ask. "Oh no!" Scot replies. He explains that it is a full production movie, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Kathy Bates, an Oscar winner. The name of the movie is "Love, Liza", which Scot calls a dark comedy. In the movie the main character, Wilson, drives radio controlled boats and cars and flies rc planes. "That's where you will come in", Scot says - "You will do all the aerial scenes." He asks me to think about a "dark, sinister looking plane", a model still not decided on, that the character will plan to fly toward the end of the movie... "Do you want to do it?" he asks. "Of course!" I jump at the chance... I'm beginning to feel important... Scott then fills me in on the lead actor, Philip Seymour Hoffman, 33 years old. Hoffman has played small parts and supporting roles in many movies: Patch Adams, Magnolia, Boogie Nights, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Almost Famous, The Big Lebowski, Flawless, Twister and many more. He has been getting better and better reviews. Philip Seymour Hoffman is on the front page of the recent January 2001 issue of GQ magazine, which features a 4-page article on him. I'm really impressed now... The film character's mother will be played by Kathy Bates, who has starred in Dolores Claiborne, Misery (for which she got the Oscar) and Fried Green Tomatoes. Filming involving her will be done in New Orleans, unfortunately. Scot mentions that for my involvement he will try to arrange for a credit at the end of the film. And I'm invited to all the "shoots". During filming I will have my own chair on the set! Wow! Neat! Cool!... My chest is beginning to swell... Scot and I then talk about trainer planes and all the necessities they need to have on hand. He will buy two planes from HobbyTown USA. One is for backup... Scot says he'd love to come to my club's field and have me check out the plane. We agree to meet at Irvington field the next day, Saturday afternoon... Scot picks up the tab... On the way out I mention that if he needed anyone else in particular, just to let me know, and... But he cuts me off, saying "Oh no, Frits, I've made my choice. YOU DA MAN!..." My chest is about to burst... We part company and I head for the magazine rack at Wal-Mart, where I pick up a copy of GQ magazine... My standin grins at me from the front cover... I plan to do some research on this guy, in case we get to be buddies, you know... Filming is to start only a week away, on Monday, January 15. The next day, Saturday, January 6, Scot Broadus and his Props Assistant Tyler show up at our flying field in Irvington, about 8 miles southwest of Mobile. Tyler is a young guy, only 22, and apparently has no last name... They bring out the combo trainer Scot had bought from HobbyTown USA. He had assembled it the previous afternoon and evening. Scot's canvas tool bag has tools in it that are large enough to work on trucks and tanks, and I make a joke about it... Fortunately both Scot and Tyler have a sense of humor and they fit right on it. I have let nobody at the field know yet what their jobs are, per Scot's request at the meeting the previous day. After checking the plane out, I take it off and trim it out. No problems, so I let both Scot and Tyler fly it on the buddy box. Both do very well. Because there are so many new people, and I am one of the club's flight instructors, each only gets one flight in. They say they loved it and hope to do it again. The next day, January 7, Scot leaves a voice message on my home telephone answering machine saying he and Tyler were thankful for my assistance with the plane, and for the flight. Scot said they had a great time and that he "was still smiling"... A few days later Scot calls again and says they need "rc stuff for props" and do I have any? "Do I have any? Of course", I say. He says Tyler will come to my house and pick them up... On January the 11th, Tyler picks up three boxes full of assorted rc stuff for the movie. A couple of engines, engine parts, engine starter, glow plug driver, wheels and struts, three transmitters, a couple of props, my old and well-worn flight box (including battery and fuel tank), etc. We also go to my son Greg's house to pick up some rc car stuff. Tyler selects the brightly painted no. 42 car that I raced against Greg's no. 24 a couple of years ago. He also picks out a car radio controller. Tyler says that filming downtown and at a gas station will start on Monday, the 15th, and that my part will come later that week... I can't wait! On January 12 I get an e-mail from Production Manager Scott Lumpkin: "Mr. Jetten, Scot Broadus has spoken so highly of you and your help.. Thank you for being so helpful. Scott Lumpkin" Saturday, January 13. Another breakfast meeting at Dick Russell's Restaurant with Scot Broadus and Tyler. I get to the restaurant at around 10:30, but they don't get there until 12:01. By that time I have just about overdosed on coffee... Breakfast is already shut down, so it turns into a lunch meeting. I have the half & half oysters and shrimp platter, Scot has a ribeye steak and Tyler a bar-B-que sandwich... Scot talks about the schedule coming up. I'm invited to all the location shoots, he says. I ask about rules on the set, because I don't want to mess up and get yelled at! "No cameras, no flash photography, no video, no bothering the star for an autograph. Just stay out of the way." he says. "You'll have your own chair", he mentions again... Scot talks about what's involved with the location shoots. Tyler tells me that my flying scenes will be filmed Wednesday afternoon "at dusk". Hmm... They want to put navigation lights on the plane... Hmmmm... Filming will be done in some parking lot... HMMMMMMMM... I ask Scot about obstacles like light poles. "Light poles? Oh yeah - light poles - I think there may be some..." he says. "Is that going to be a problem?..." (Oh, just great, I'm thinking...) "That's fine", I bravely tell him, "I can handle it. Nooooo problem..." Sunday, Jan. 14, 2001, around 3:00 PM. While I'm at our flying field instructing a new student, Scot calls me on my cell phone and asks me to come see their props truck at Love Liza Productions headquarters on Sage Avenue that afternoon. I pack everything up, head home and unload. It's getting dark when I get to Sage Avenue. I find several big trucks in the back parking lot and several people milling around and storing stuff. I spot Scot and Tyler. Scot introduces me to several members of the crew: "This is Frits, he's the RC Consultant." (Boy - that sounds good, doesn't it?...) None of them have last names, I notice... "Great to meet you!" most of them say. I feel my chest swell... Tyler shows me the insides of their props truck. Amazing! This truck has everything anybody has ever used in a lifetime, neatly packed up (sort of...) in dozens of large RubberMaid containers... Eyeglasses, writing utensils, pocket books, hippy stuff, adult toys (really!... but this is not a porn movie, Scot assures me...), clothes, shoes, tools, briefcases, hand cuffs, cans of soup, beer bottles, caps, hats, etc., etc. You name it, it's there! And now two model planes will be added and a couple of boxes full of radio control stuff from my hobby room! And don't forget my old, dilapidated, beat up flight box! My flying buddies have made plenty of fun of it in the past few years. Who's laughing now! My flight box will be famous! Scot shows me a box containing the Japanese Zero airplane that will be used in the movie (it's that "sinister black" plane that the movie character wants to fly toward the end of the movie)... They had just bought the kit at HobbyTown USA. It's a Great Planes ARF (Almost Ready to Fly), but it has to be put together, and it's needed tomorrow! Nothing like doing things at the last moment! Scot says "Frits, would you be available right now to..." "Of course!" I say. I get 30-minute epoxy and start gluing the wing halves together... Hours later everyone leaves and I also head home, leaving the wing to cure overnight... I get home at 9:15 PM, and soon after I hit the sack. I want to be downtown for the first shoot of the movie at 7:00 AM. I'm not involved in any scene on Monday, but I want to be there and hang out with my new movie crew! I plan to get up around 4:00 in the morning, go downtown and have breakfast on the set at 5:30... "Crew Call" will be at 6:00... Filming starts at 7:00... The time is coming near... I feel some excitement as I picture myself on the Love Liza movie set... January 15, 2000 - Filming starts in Downtown Mobile. I wake up around 2:00 in the morning, look at the clock and remembered I had set it for 4:00... It's Monday! Finally!... The Movie! I need to be there and have breakfast with them, and... I reach for the clock and reset it for 5:00. To hell with them - I need my beauty sleep so I'll look GOOOOD for my Wednesday shoot. I decide to snooze a bit longer... I head for downtown and try to find the set on Dauphin Street. The weather does not look good... Grey skies. Fog. Cold. Little drops of drizzle... I get there around 6:30. They're still unpacking the trucks and setting up stuff. There are about eight large trucks all along the intersection. There's a huge electrical power generator around the corner. Cables are running everywhere. People are rushing around. I find Scot Broadus and Tyler Nolastname, his assistant, in their props truck. They are complaining that they are not "juiced" yet. I thought: Man, are these guys trying to get snockered this early in the day??? But no, it's just another film term I'm learning. "Juicing" means getting power to the truck. It's one of many terms I'll learn while on the set... Scot and I walk over to the food truck to get some breakfast. I find the truck in a parking lot a block away. Scot introduces me to the cooks, Steve and Gary. They have no last names either... Then to Ruth Charney, one of the producers. "This is Frits, he's the RC Consultant. He'll be flying the rc airplane." " Oh, great!" she smiles as she shakes my hand. She sounds genuine. I feel important! But quickly she picks up some fruit, turns around and starts talking to some guy who I find out later is the director, Todd Louiso... I order up a full breakfast of everything. These movie people eat well! Guess who else shows up?... The STAR Philip Seymour Hoffman himself! He looks a bit heavier than on the front cover of GQ magazine. He looks grumpy and sleepy... But that's alright, I'm thinking. In just a minute - after he's had some coffee - I'll probably casually move closer and I'll strike up a conversation with him. I'll joke with him... I'll cheer him up... Yep - Now picture this! Philip Seymour Hoffman and I having breakfast together! The star and I are eating breakfast in front of the catering truck!... Well - actually he had breakfast with the producer and I had breakfast with one of the crew guys about five feet away from them... Nah, he didn't talk to me. He didn't acknowledge me. Didn't even know I was there... Bummer... Filming starts at 7:00. They will film at two locations downtown, about two blocks apart. For the first "shoot" they set up at a downtown intersection. It's cold... It starts to drizzle a bit. I take refuge on the sidewalk under a building overhang. The rain does not stop the crew. They assemble the track for the camera dolly. The important people show up: Producers Ruth Charney and Jeff Roda. Lisa Rinzler, The Director of Photography. The Director, Todd Louiso. And Assistants - and assistants to assistants! Man - they all have assistants! I lose track of who's who... I strike up a conversation with a lady who introduces herself as Eva Golson. She heads up the Mobile Film Office. The way I understand it part of her job is to interface with the movie production company and arrange for any assistance the city can give them as with police escorts or blocking city streets, etc. The STAR arrives! He appears in character, looking very sad and down. In the movie, he plays Wilson who has recently lost his wife Liza and has a hard time dealing with it... Someone rushes up and holds an umbrella over him... They do a couple of "walk & talks", where they go through the motions. They test the camera dolly by rolling it back and forth on the tracks. A large van shows up and about a dozen extras emerge. Everyone gets into position. A large umbrella is deployed and mounted on the camera dolly. Lisa climbs on board. The "dolly grip" gets a grip on his dolly... There are four rehearsal runs that include the star and the extras. Two of the older extras - a couple of hefty ladies - are breathing harder and harder after each take... Then they do three "takes". After each "keeper" they holler "checking the gate!". This is where they make sure there's no speck of dust or hair or fuzz ball in the camera lens. A guy with spiked, bleach-streaked hair does this by standing several feet in front of the camera and shining a tiny flashlight into the lens. Then they shout "Gate clean" - "Quiet all around" and it's "ACTION!" again... After the "wrap" the order is given to "make a move" to location two. An hour later, they are set up at the Picklefish Restaurant on Dauphin Street, two blocks away. A couple of hours after that, filming starts... This movie stuff is 90% setting up and 10% actual acting and filming... I get under a veranda and make small talk with Dolores Hernandez, a very attractive Spanish-looking lady who is Make-up/Hair... She must think the talk is really small and she moves on to drier grounds... It starts to rain harder. No matter - they continue filming. Scot hands out about a dozen umbrellas to directors and extras. I don't get one... It's cold. My feet are beginning to feel numb. Tyler stays busy and is all over the set. There's a brief lull. "Tyler", I ask "what's your full name?" "Tyler Q Rosen", he says. "And Q stands for...?", I ask. "Just Q dude - no period or nothing." he says, and he's off to the set again. "Ten minute warning" (until the next take), the assistant director shouts, so I wander over to the snack tent around the corner, sample some breakfast fruit and then settle for some hot, freshly made vegetable soup that's just delicious!... Then it's "a wrap"! There's a "company move" to location three, McGugin's Exxon station on McGregor Avenue and Old Shell Road, about 15 miles away. This means moving EVERYTHING! All equipment, the "honey wagon" (potty truck), the food truck, lighting truck, camera equipment truck and all other trucks, leaving the area as if they had never been there... Before I go to the next location, I rush home to meet a telephone repair man. Great timing! He pulls in as I drive into my garage. After my telephone problem is fixed, I head quickly back to my next location. There I find that I have just missed lunch. Ribeye steak with all the trimmings. Salads and fruit of all kinds, cake, pie desert... $%^&•ª! Hungrily I watch them clean off the tables in the large mess tent... The Exxon station is closed all day because of the filming. I feel a bit out of place at this location, as I'm wearing a Chevron jacket that I got at my retirement, emblazoned with the Chevron logo and my name. There is a Chevron station across the street... The drizzle continues and it's cold... But I continue to tough it out because I still think all this is very interesting... I switch off my cell phone as filming is about to start. You don't want that thing to play a silly tune after they holler "Roll sound!" and "Quiet all around!" We're talking big bucks here! It starts to rain a bit harder. Everyone is wearing ponchos, raincoats or is holding an umbrella. I duck under a canopy, set up to keep the important film people dry. And the ever-present food cart, which is loaded with snacks of all descriptions! Under the canopy I watch the filming close-up on a video monitor, as there's a video camera attached to the big film camera. I'm within arms length of the director, the producer, this assistant, that assistant and other important film people... The canopy leaks and cold water runs down my neck as I watch the action while nibbling on cashews, raisins, peanuts and candy bars. I sip freshly made hot chocolate that is personally delivered by the caterer, Sanford... Well, actually the Director and the other big shots asked for the hot chocolate and there was an extra cup left over, so... The next scene needed to be brightly lit, so the lighting crew sets up a huge light about three feet across that is so bright you can't look into it. It lights up the world all around us!... It occurred to me these film guys can duplicate everything nature has to offer but they can't make the rain stop... The star Philip Seymour Hoffman works very close in my proximity. A more articulated camera on tracks is used. This one moves camera and operator up and down on a mechanical elbow... They film close-ups of Philip pumping gas in a plastic container. Dolores combs his hair each time before action starts. Someone holds an umbrella over him in between takes. There are several takes... One of the gas station scenes involves the station operator (played by actor Wayne Duvall) and a couple of young actors who play characters who are into sniffing gas fumes ("huffing"). In the movie, the character Wilson, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, is also into huffing... They do three rehearsals and then several takes... After one scene I catch the star's eye and I smile and nod at him, but I get a blank stare, not even a smile. Oh well, he must still be deep in character - sad, somber, depressed and dark... I'm sure he'll come around and cozy up to me soon... I'm sure of it! The two props guys have been super-nice to me all during the shoots. As hectic as their job is, they always answer my questions and keep me informed as to what's going on. Around 4:00 I finally tell them I'm going home. I tell Scot I'm chilled to the bone and I can't feel my feet any more... He says: "Okay - I'll see you at 5:30 in the morning for breakfast then..." (Yeah - right!...) I just mumble an answer, not wanting to commit myself... I head home, looking forward to a hot shower and perhaps doing some reading about "my co-star" Philip by the fire place. Before I fall asleep I go over all the things I have experienced today. Scot had told me that tomorrow's location will be at a residence on Rochelle Street near downtown, and at a motel/restaurant close to I-65 and Highway 90. Movie life is proving to be tough and unglamorous, but I'll hang in there a bit longer. Maybe I'll get bored after Wednesday. They will be filming MY flying scenes on Wednesday afternoon, at dusk... I wonder if my co-star will be there on location too... I hope Philip knows I'm the one who'll make him look good in the movie... Tuesday, January 16, 2001 - My chance to meet Philip Seymour Hoffman. Because of some commitments at home I decide to skip the Rochelle Street filming near downtown. This crew seems to know what they're doing. They don't really need me... Besides, there's no rc stuff involved in that scene! They'll be shooting in front of a residence there. The evening before they had forgotten to give me a call list, a daily updated document which has all pertinent information about the next day's location, predicted weather, who's involved, what props are needed, a map to the new location, etc. I didn't get one, so I'll have to try to find the place where they're filming. All I heard was Beltline Highway and Highway 90 at a motel/restaurant... Around noon I leave home to find the set. There they are! Hard to miss. In the Rest Inn's parking lot on Highway 90 near I-65 I spot all the rental trucks and motor homes. I park and go around the building and find "my" props truck... It's right across from the soup kitchen vehicle that is always loaded with goodies. Sanford is the guy to know there, and he's been taking good care of me. Every day Sanford wears these really cool pants, loud and colorful. Hard to miss... From the back of the truck I have a nice, clear view of the honey wagon (the potty truck...) I stand around... Lunch had just been served, and the buffet is still available... I ask this guy where Scot and Tyler are. He says: "They're inside." He spots my name on my jacket. "Hey, Frits! Good to meet you! Scott Lumpkin." Well, this is the guy from Lumpkin & Associates, the Unit Production Manager who got me into all of this. I had thought that he'd be around 50 years old or so. He looks to be around 30. All these people on the set are so young! I go inside and find Scot and Tyler with another guy having lunch. "Go get some seafood salad, it's delicious!" Scot says. I go back outside and load a plate with seafood salad. It is loaded with crab meat and it IS delicious!... Then filming starts, but because it's a bit crowded inside the restaurant I don't go in there. Tyler and Scot go back and forth getting this and that... They seem to always have everything on their truck! Amazing! At one time Scot says "Oh, by the way, shouldn't we be charging the plane? Or what can we do before tomorrow?" "Yeah," I say, "let's plug it up now." Then he says "You know, I brought the backup plane too." "Great!" I say, "Let's plug it up too." "Uhhh, Frits... It's not put together yet soooo..." his voice trails off and he looks helpless. "Sure" I say, "I'll do it." He smiles and looks relieved. "But..." I say, "I'm going home to get my own tools, some 5-minute epoxy and stuff." "You don't mind?" he asks. "Noooo problem" I say. Scot finds the kit, hands it to me and he's gone again... After I get back I start to assemble the ARF plane, another HobbyTown combo trainer. Not much to it - glue the dihedral brace and wing halves together, glue the horizontal stab in, attach the landing gear, tighten everything (you'd better!), and charge the batteries. I work slowly and wander around every now and then hoping to bump into Philip Seymour Hoffman, the STAR... Sanford the soup guy comes over. "Hey Frits, how about some chili?" "Yeah, man!" I say, and a bit later he shows up with a hot bowl of freshly made chili. Great stuff! As I'm enjoying my chili, Scot rushes in and he looks agitated. He's sweating and he ain't smiling. "Everything going okay?" I ask. "Things are not going well in there." he says. "Not well at all..." He mentions some names preceded by some really nasty words... Then he's off again... It's dark now. During one of my breaks, waiting for the epoxy to cure, I walk around the front of the building, and there he is! Smoking a cigarette, pacing back and forth, looking at the ground as he usually does between takes. There's my man! Philip Seymour Hoffman, the STAR! Just me and him! It's the chance of a lifetime! Now or never! As he paces away from me I quickly take a step closer, stopping just before he turns back. I don't want to be too obvious... He spins around and walks away again. I take one more step in his direction and stop. He turns and walks back. One more! Just one step closer and then I can casually turn to him, look up, make eye contact and say: "Hey, Phil! How's it going in there?" ----- Nah, better not! He looks mean and grumpy and sad and down and depressed. Is that him or the character he plays? I can't tell... Maybe I'll just say in a respectful voice: "Good evening, Mr. Hoffman! I'm thrilled to meet you." And then we shake hands and have a nice talk about his movie career and my part in Love Liza... He paces away and I take one more step closer. He turns back (now's my chance... he's only four feet away!...) But then he flips his cigarette butt on the ground, turns toward the door, opens it and... and... disappears inside... $%^&*(¢ §¶•!!!! Disappointed, I go back to the props truck and finish up the plane. Tyler comes around looking for something. "Hey, Tyler", I say, "can I go in there and watch?" "No, man. I wouldn't. Things are not good. It's tight in there and there are too many people already and things are tense and..." He continues with some descriptive words usually befitting an old Navy salt. Tyler is only 22 but has accumulated quite a foul vocabulary in the two years he's been in the movie business. Then he apologizes for spouting off, and he's off again... He's a good kid and I like him! He keeps me and Scot going, always cutting up, no matter how bad it gets... Filming is finally done and everyone prepares to pack up and go back to the Guest House Inn where the crew has been staying. Scot is happy the backup plane is finished. "Oh, by the way..." he says. "About those navigation lights for the plane..." He finds them, takes them out of a plastic bag and holds them up in front of me. This man who has a very important job and who seems so full in control of it during filming now looks at me helplessly. &*¶•ª!! Oh, shoot, that's right! They wanted navigation lights! On a trainer plane yet... That's silly!... "How about tomorrow morning?" I ask. "It won't take long." I say. "Okay, that's fine." he says. Then he smiles, shakes my hand and thanks me for all my help. I leave for home. Another busy day coming up. Tomorrow MY big flying part is coming up!. My time has come!... "They're gonna put me in the movies.... They're gonna make a big star out of meeee... And all I have to do...." There's that song again!... |
